Global Geo-political Series: Key updates from across the world

Here are some key events to keep a tab on,

• Zimbabwe coup: 37-year rule of President Mugabe ended last week with him finally resigning. Emmerson Mnangagwa, the second in command became the President last week. Mugabe has been given immunity from prosecution.
   
• Saudi Arabia: Saudi Arabia’s crown prince Mohammad bin-Salman, who replaced his elder cousin Mohammad bin-Nayef to become next in line to the throne after his father King Salman by a royal decree has now declared war on terrorism vowing to wipe out terrorists from the face of the earth after tightening his grip on power via newly formed anti-corruption committee that arrested scores of princes, several senior officials, and incumbent ministers. The committee had reportedly seized assets worth as much as $300 billion. More than 200 people have reportedly been arrested. The war on terror announcement came over the weekend following the meeting of the members of IMA (Islamic Military Alliance) that represents 41 Muslim-majority countries excluding Iran, Iraq, and Syria.
   
• Korean Peninsula: South Korea is blaming the North for violating the armistice agreement with South Korea this month when North Korean soldiers shot and wounded a soldier as he defected across the border.  However, the North Korean soldier has survived and is currently recovering in a hospital in the South. A North Korean border guard briefly crossed the border with the South in the chase for the defector on November 13.
   
• Saudi Arabia, and Lebanon: Former Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri, who announced his resignation in a televised speech from Saudi Arabia earlier this month has returned to Lebanon and postponed his resignation. Since his return, he has taken a critical stance against Hezbollah.
   
• Pope Francis and Rohingya crisis: Pope Francis has arrived in Myanmar on Monday amid Rohingya crisis and would be visiting Bangladesh too, to which more than 620,000 Rohingya have fled from a crackdown by Myanmar security forces, who deny the accusations by human rights groups.